How I became a blogger

I was very prejudiced against blogs and bloggers.

I didn’t want to be confused with a blogger because I didn’t want people think that all the items on my Web site began, “Got up this morning. Made some coffee.” In other words, the blogs I’d seen were nothing more than on-line journals; each entry started off totally boring and went downhill from there. I wrote things that took hours or days, not minutes. (Unfortunately, this doesn't mean they're not boring, too.)

Then in the span of one week bloggers uncovered the CBS blunder in regards George Bush and his military service — or lack thereof. Then there was the buzz surrounding The Plain Dealer Mystery Blogger. What’s that?

After the 4:30 meeting Monday or Tuesday Jeff Greene and Margie Frazer were talking about … well, I couldn’t tell what they were talking about! “And this is in reference to what?” And that’s when they told me a PD employee (we assume) had published a blog, anonymously, rating some of the columnists, taking pot shots at bosses and speculating about who might get what job.

By the time Jeff sent me a link, the blog had already gone down; all that was left was a snapshot Google had taken earlier in the day — or perhaps even the day before. But it got me thinking about blogs, and I saw Kim Moy looking at the Blogspot Web site and realized how easy it was to make an on-line forum. And in 24 hours (with the help of flickr, an on-line photo service), I set up the “Nightsiders” blog for the News Desk.

It can be found at: http://nightsiders.blogspot.com/

Then last night after work I set up The Rumors of Order forum, based on the same black template the PD blogger used.

So thanks to CBS for making a big mistake, and thanks to the Mystery Blogger for basing his forum on Blogspot. And thanks for curing me of my prejudice against blogging. One other thing: Using Blogspot and flickr doesn’t cost a cent! And it’s easy — very easy.

The funny upshot of this whole thing is that some misguided PD people speculate that I was the Mystery Blogger, but those who have worked with me know better; they know I have never interested myself in behind-the-scenes stuff. I don’t know who’s getting what job where — I can’t even keep track of who’s doing what on the News Desk from day to day! I couldn't even remember the typeface for "The Price of Poverty" logo!

Anyway, this is how I became a blogger without really trying.